India: Supreme Court stays Varanasi court order on Gyanvapi Mosque survey

India's Supreme Court on Monday (July 24) put on hold for two days a scientific survey by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on the Gyanvapi mosque in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

The top court's ruling that stayed a Varanasi district court order for the survey came on the plea submitted by the Gyanvapi Masjid Committee.

The court granted the Gyanvapi mosque management committee time till July 26 to approach the Allahabad High Court against the lower court's order and said that till that time, the status quo be maintained at the site.

At the heart of the case is the contention by a group of Hindu petitioners that there is a shivling, a holy structure for the religion, in the mosque complex which they want to worship. The Muslim representatives argue that it is a fountain.

The management committee of the mosque had expressed its apprehensions that the survey may involve excavation at the complex which is located next to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Temple at Varanasi.

SC recorded the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and stated that no excavations are being carried out by the ASI as per the district court's order and no excavation has been planned for a week.

'Not a brick removed'

Informing the court about the current developments, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, "Not a brick has been removed nor is it planned to be removed. Right now what is going on is measurement, photography, and radar, which will not affect the structure."

The Supreme Court told advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, that no excavation will be carried out for two weeks and that the ASI is not touching the structure currently and just carrying out the measurement and photography, which will not hamper the place of worship.

"It appears that ASI is not contemplating carrying out any excavation in pursuance of the order. We record the statement to the extent that no excavation at the site is contemplated at this stage for a period of one week until next week Monday," said Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, taking the submissions of the centre on record.

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Speaking about Supreme Court's order, advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain who was representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi mosque case, said, "Supreme Court has put a stay on the order of the District Court on survey of the Mosque complex and has asked the Allahabad Court to decide matter afresh. We will keep our argument in at Allahabad HC. The Muslim side, Anjuman Intezamia misled the SC and said that digging has started there, which is not true."

Meanwhile, Varanasi district magistrate said it will abide by the top court order.

ASI team reaches the mosque

Earlier in the day, the team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) reached the Gyanvapi mosque complex to carry out the scientific survey.

The team of ASI had reached Varanasi on Sunday (July 23) along with all the required equipment. The Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee had said it will not participate in the survey.

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